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Landing Page Design Review

When to use: Building any page with a conversion goal. Auditing an existing page that isn't converting. Starting a new campaign.

The test: Show 5 people the page for 5 seconds. Can all 5 correctly say what it is, who it's for, and what to do next?

Goal and Audience​

Before writing a single line of copy or code:

DecisionRequirementValidation
Campaign goalOne specific useful action, or one explicit choice between mutually exclusive pathsCan the visitor name the intended next move?
Primary actionOne action, or a clearly labelled path choice that prevents a false one-size-fits-all CTADoes visual priority match the visitor's situation?
Target personaSpecific person with known pain, desired outcome, main objectionCan you name them?
Message matchAd/email promise matches landing page headline word-for-wordCompare source and page side by side

Page Structure​

Choose a narrative arc that matches the buyer's decision. A common sequence is:

Hero --> Problem --> Solution --> Proof --> Details/FAQ --> Final CTA
CheckThresholdHow to Measure
Five-second test5/5 people identify what, who, actionTest with 5 real people
Action clarityPrimary action or path choice is distinct from educational navigationAsk what the visitor would select and why
Reading orderSemantic and visual order preserve the intended decision sequenceInspect DOM and test keyboard order
Scroll depth to CTAPrimary CTA visible without scrollingLoad page, check above fold

Hero Section​

The first viewport must answer four questions:

  • What is it? Headline states the benefit in concrete terms
  • Who is it for? Audience obvious from copy or imagery
  • Why believe it? Proof and limits are credible and proportionate
  • What do I do? Primary action or mutually exclusive path choice is visible

Hero Checklist​

CheckThresholdHow to Measure
Value proposition visibleWithin 3 seconds of page loadStopwatch test with new viewer
Headline and subheadShort enough to understand once; long enough to preserve truthFive-second test with unfamiliar readers
Primary actionOne action, or a clear mutually exclusive path choiceAsk which action fits and why
Supporting visualRemoving it loses information about the offerRemove image, re-run five-second test -- does comprehension drop?
Navigation doesn't competeCTA button larger (px) and higher contrast than any nav linkDevTools: compare CTA dimensions and contrast to nav links

CTA Design​

Copy Rules​

RuleGoodBad
Action verb + benefit"Get the framework""Submit"
Specific over generic"Start free trial""Get started"
First person optional"Get my report""Click here"
Never use--"Submit", "Click here", "Learn more"

Visual Rules​

CheckThresholdHow to Measure
CTA affordanceClickable styling is not used on inert elementsInspect comparable controls
Button height44px minimumDevTools: element dimensions
Horizontal padding16px minimumDevTools: computed padding
Hover stateVisible change within 100msMouse over button
Contrast against background3:1 minimumContrast checker

Placement​

  • Primary CTA above the fold
  • CTA repeated only where the reader has gained enough context to decide
  • Final CTA at page bottom
  • CTA follows reading pattern (bottom-right for Z, left-aligned for F)

Social Proof​

Proof Types​

TypeRequirement
TestimonialsReal, attributable, consented, and specific about the bounded experience
Customer logosPermission to display and relevance to the claim
StatisticsPublic source, period, denominator, and method are visible
Public methodsA reader can inspect and practise the method

Placement​

  • Proof near hero CTA
  • Proof near pricing/signup
  • Proof after feature sections
  • Proof before final CTA

Friction Reduction​

Form Optimization​

CheckThresholdHow to Measure
Field countMinimum needed for first value delivery (aim for 1-3)Count fields
Labels visibleAlways visible, never placeholder-onlyInspect label elements
ValidationInline, real-time, clear error messagesSubmit empty/invalid form
Smart defaultsPre-filled where possibleCheck for prefilled values
Tab orderLogical field-to-field flowTab through form

Anxiety Reducers​

  • Privacy statement or link
  • Security badges if collecting payment
  • "No credit card required" if true
  • What happens after submit (explicit)
  • Expected response time

Objection Handling​

Address these before the visitor has to ask:

ObjectionHow to AddressWhere
"Is this for me?"Clear audience targeting in hero copyHero section
"Does it work?"Testimonials with specific outcomesBelow hero, near CTA
"How long does it take?"Time investment stated explicitlyFeature section or FAQ
"What if it doesn't work?"Guarantee, trial, or refund policyNear CTA and FAQ
"Why should I trust you?"Credentials, logos, press mentionsThroughout page

FAQ Section​

  • Top 3-5 objections answered
  • Honest, specific answers (not marketing fluff)
  • Links to deeper content where relevant
  • Contact option for unlisted questions

Content Quality​

CheckThresholdHow to Measure
Value proposition word countUnder 25 wordsCount words in hero headline + subhead
Subheadings self-explanatoryReader understands section from heading aloneCover body text, read only headings
Voice consistencySame tone throughout (no formal-then-casual shifts)Read aloud start to finish
Features as benefitsEvery feature rewritten as user outcomeCheck each feature bullet
No jargonZero undefined technical terms (define or link each)Have 1 non-expert highlight words they don't understand

Measurement​

Tracking Checklist​

  • Primary conversion event tracked in analytics
  • Micro-conversions tracked: scroll depth, button clicks, form starts
  • Session recordings enabled (Hotjar, Clarity, etc.)
  • UTM parameters configured for traffic sources
  • A/B test infrastructure ready

A/B Test Priority​

Test in this order (highest impact first):

  1. Value proposition (headline + subhead)
  2. CTA copy
  3. CTA placement
  4. Social proof type and placement
  5. Form field count
  6. Section order
  7. Visual design details

A/B Test Rules​

  • Statistical significance threshold set (95% minimum)
  • Minimum sample size calculated before starting
  • Test duration planned (2-4 weeks minimum)
  • Single variable per test (not multiple changes at once)
  • Primary metric defined before test begins
  • Losing variant killed promptly, winning variant promoted

Contextual baseline​

There is no universal “good” conversion rate detached from traffic intent, offer, action cost, evidence quality, market, device, and measurement window. Freeze the page's own qualified baseline before changing it. Compare the same action and audience over a declared period, report sample size and confounders, and treat external benchmarks only as sourced context—not a release gate.

Post-Conversion​

After the visitor converts, the experience continues:

  • Thank-you page with clear next steps (not a dead end)
  • Confirmation email sent immediately
  • Expectations set (what happens next, when)
  • Upsell or referral opportunity presented (not before they've received value)
  • Conversion event tracked and verified in analytics

Pre-Launch Checklist​

  • Five-second test passed with 5 real people
  • Mobile tested on real device (not just DevTools)
  • All links verified working
  • Forms submit correctly and trigger thank-you page
  • Analytics tracking verified (check real-time dashboard)
  • LCP under 2.5s (Lighthouse audit)
  • Accessibility audit passed (axe DevTools, zero critical violations)
  • Captured at 320, 375, 768, and 1440px with no overlap, clipping, overflow, blank controls, or unreadable labels
  • Complex images have an equivalent explanation
  • Every visual still present causes a named comprehension loss when removed
  • Content proofread by someone who didn't write it
  • Message match verified (ad copy matches page headline)
  • CTA color appears nowhere on non-clickable elements

Context​